No Choice in the Matter: Migrants’ Experiences of Arrest, Detention and Deportation (2013)

This publication provides an in-depth and systematic analysis of arrest, detention, and deportation (ADD) as experienced on the ground by migrants. Based on over 200 interviews with migrants, key informants, and extensive secondary research, the report compares the policies and procedures in place for the ADD of migrants in Thailand and how implementation reflects those policies. Interviews showed that cases of ADD are common and migrants’ experiences show that abuse, corruption, and disregard for human dignity continue unabated. Despite recent efforts to regularise migrants and to introduce formalised guidelines regulating ADD, the process remains ad hoc and frequently runs counter to human rights standards.

Download the English version and the Thai version